THE 1000 BEST SONGS IN THE WORLD EVER.

383-Keane-Bedshaped.

2004-Number 10 single.

Best Bit-At 3.35. The band are named after a family friend of Tom Chaplin’s family called Cherry Keane who looked after Tim Rice-Oxley and Tom Chaplin when they were children, she would tell them to ‘Go after their dreams.’ At her death from cancer she left money to the Chaplin family, of which some was used by Tom, ‘To see me through the harder times with the music.’

Keane are an ‘Alternative Rock’ group who were formed in Battle, East Sussex, England, in 1995, by Tim Rice-Oxley, (keyboards) Richard Hughes, (drums) and Dominic Scott, (guitar) originally calling themselves ‘Lotus Eaters,’ (not to be confused with the 1980’s Liverpool band of the same name) they performed as a covers band playing songs by their favourite bands including U2, (see also best songs 766-320-190 and 84) and the Beatles (see also best songs 599-319-238-218-141-80-51-10 and 5.) Tom Chaplin (lead vocals) joined the group in 1997, and Scott left in 2001, and in 2011, after being a touring musician with the group since 2007, Jesse Quin (bass, and keyboards) became an official member. In 2014 Keane went on hiatus, with members pursuing other musical projects, but they did reform in 2018, and at the time of writing they remain active.

For an ‘Alternative Rock’ group Keane are unusual, in that while guitars have been minimally used, even in their early work their appearance in the final mix has always been slight, and while Tom Chaplin has stepped up as an almost full time guitarist in the band, that instrument is never featured as prominently as to be more than barely noticed. Because of this they have been dubbed as ‘the band with no guitars,’ thanks to their heavily piano-based sound. By using delay and distortion effects on their pianos and similar keyboards, they often create sounds that aren’t immediately recognisable as being played on a piano or a keyboard.

The discography of Keane who have sold in excess of 13 million records worldwide includes five studio Albums released between 2004-2019, and 32 singles released between 2000-2023, there are also 10 extended plays, (EP’s) one official compilation Album, and four live Albums available. In the UK, the first four of their studio Albums have all reached the Number 1 position, with their latest ‘Cause and Effect,’ (2019) peaking at Number 2, while 10 of their singles have made the UK top 40, with ‘Somewhere Only We Know,’ (2004) and ‘Is It Any Wonder?’ (2006) both peaking the highest at Number 3. In America, three of their studio Albums have reached the top 20 on the Billboard 200 Album chart, while none of their singles, including ‘Bedshaped,’ have made the Billboard Hot 100, top 40 chart.

‘Bedshaped’ was the third of five singles released from ‘Hopes and Fears,’ the debut studio Album from Keane, from May 2004, the song was originally composed by Tim Rice-Oxley in 2001, but was further worked on later, with fellow band members Richard Hughes, and Thomas Chaplin, along with James Sanger all receiving the songwriting credits, with the production being by to Andy Green. It is said that James Sanger is the most successful person in ‘Pop Music’ that no one has heard of. He is credited with working on records that have sold in excess of 70 million worldwide, as a songwriter, producer, and engineer. With sales in excess of 2.7 million copies sold ‘Hopes and Fears’ is one of the 50 best selling Albums of all time in the UK, in total worldwide the Album has sold in excess of 5.8 million copies to date.

Timothy James Rice-Oxley was born on June 2nd, 1976, in Oxford, England, he is the keyboardist, and principle songwriter for Keane. Away from Keane he is a member of the ‘Alternative/Country’ group ‘Mt. Desolation,’ along with fellow Keane band member Jesse Quin, and members of Mumford & Sons, (see also best songs 517) The Killers, (see also best songs 917) and The Staves. ‘Mt. Desolation’ have released three studio Albums between 2010-2023. Tim Rice-Oxley has posted an explanation of the meaning to ‘Bedshaped’ on the ‘Keane’ official message board, ‘The song is about feeling that you’ve been left behind by an old friend or lover, and about hoping that you’ll be reunited one day, so that you can live out the end of your lives together the way you started them, a hope that they’ll eventually want to get away from the bright lights and come back home. It’s a sad and angry song, but also full of hope. I think I’m right in saying that in hospital when someone is ill and has to spend a lot of time in bed they can become ‘bedshaped.’ It sounds a bit depressing, but in the context of the song I wanted to suggest old age and frailty.’

‘Don’t laugh at me, don’t look away. You’ll follow me back with the sun in your eyes and on your own Bed shaped.’